Curiosity Killed the Spy
by Katherine Julia
Summary: "Who did this?" "We don't know, kiddo. But we'll find out.""She didn't know when, or even if, she would ever see Zachary Goode again, but right now it didn't matter, because she knew it wasn't the end. For a spy, it's never the end." Sequel to AMtSGF.
1. Prologue

'**Back to Gallagher' **

This is the sequel to my story, 'The Way to Blackthorne,' and I got the idea after reading a suggestion from **GGirl**. Thank you so much!

—Katiebear95 ;)

P.S. All credit goes to Ally Carter. I own nothing.

**PROLOGUE**

The gravel quietly crunched under the sleek car as it approached the gate. In the dark, the guards head lolled to the side in his sleep, and a thin line of drool ran down his cheek.

A car door slammed and the guard jerked awake. His drowsy eyes sharpened.

He stood up and slowly made his way to the small vehicle, eyeing the black windows. He stroked his gun as he knocked on the glass. It was standard protocol.

No answer.

He knocked again, but still nothing happened. He gripped his gun in his hands so hard his knuckles turned white. He cautiously opened the door.

The car was empty.

Frowning he made his way around the automobile. He popped the trunk, but it was empty as well.

There was a rustle in the bushes.

The guard spun around and eyed the undergrowth. His hand jerked to the comms unit in his ear. There was static and then it went dead. His eyes widened and he pointed his gun.

He never saw the other man coming.


	2. Chapter 1

Hey, guys, it's me. Obviously.

I just wanted to say that I got an anonymous review from someone telling me the ending was pretty bad. I'm not mad or anything, but I want to know what other people think, because, personally, I was proud of it. I don't know why the reviewer said it was bad, but if anyone else does please, please tell me. I want to know what was bad so I can improve. Don't hold back. And if you just want to rant because you didn't like the story, then whatever. Go ahead. Just don't tell me my writing is bad, but not why. It really isn't helpful, and it's slightly aggravating to not know what I did wrong.

That's it for now. Please review.

—katiebear95 ;)

* * *

**CHAPTER I**

Cameron Ann Morgan was a spy— a good one, too.

_So then what was I doing_, she thought to herself,_ when I brought them here?_She must have had a brain tumor when she decided to sneak the sophomore class of Blackthorne Institute for Boys into her school, the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. _I'm crazy. Nuts._

It was the summer after the Gallagher-Blackthorne exchange and Gallagher was deserted. The only people that had planned to stay were Cammie and the school guards. Normally Cam's mom would have stayed as well, but she was called into CIA headquarters a few days in break. Something strange was going down in Guatemala and they needed Rachel to scope it out. Last year she would have said no in a heart beat, but for some unprecedented reason she felt the need to take this one, consequentially abandoning Cammie for the summer.

Now, Rachel loved Cammie, and Cam loved her mom, but Cam couldn't help but feel a little bitter about being left behind. _Well_, she thought,_ at least I'm not stuck in Nebraska_. Every break since Cammie had started at Gallagher in the 7th grade she had spent with her father's parents in Nebraska, but this summer Cam had begged her mom to let her stay at the mansion. He mom had agreed, but not without laying down the rules, first.

"_Cam, remember, I'm trusting you with this,' she had said. "No sneaking around. And always tell someone where you're going before you leave the mansion."_

"_Yeah, I got it, Mom."_

"_And Cammie?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Be careful."_

Her mother's warning rang through her head again. Within a week, Cammie had successfully managed to disobey every single rule her mother had put in place.

First, she had been snooping around looking for the hidden location of Blackthorne. And, guess what? She had found it. Which led to the breaking of rule number two: _always tell someone where you're going before you leave the mansion_.

_Oops._

Cammie hadn't told anyone when she found the secret passage to Blackthorne. No, instead she had disobeyed yet again; she had just got up and left.

And finally, the grand breaking of rule number three! _Be careful._

_This _was _not_ careful.

There was nothing careful about sneaking fourteen Blackthorne Boys into the deserted school in the middle of the night, only hours before said Blackthorne Boys have to be back at school and ready to head out for the summer. Not to mention one of those Blackthorne Boys was her sort-of-almost-maybe-boyfriend (relationship pending), Zach.

Zachary Goode was annoying, cocky, jerky, and cryptic— everything that made Cammie want too rip her innards out and shove them in his mouth. And for some inane, unfathomable reason God had made her attracted to him. It was a cruel, cruel world.

But what irked her to her very core about Zach was that he understood her more than she was comfortable with. He knew her every thought, watched her every move. He could see right into her. And that scared Cammie the most. Josh had seen the Chameleon. But Zach saw Cammie.

Now Cammie was squished into the small room with the bookcase while fourteen boys tried to shove themselves in from the trap door.

"_Shut up,_" she hissed when once of the boys grunted in pain.

"Why," Chris Reynolds questioned. "I thought you said there was no one in the mansion. If there isn't anyone there then why are we sneaking around?"

On the walk from Blackthorne Cammie had gotten to know the boys a little better. Chris was sort of like Zach's second in command. Then there was Justin, the clown; Nick, the shy one; Dmitri, the strong and silent bad boy; Mario, the short smart-ass. Logan was the scary one; Austin had the temper and Michael was the angel boy. Tyler was the pavement artist; Daniel the self-assured one; and Matt the observant one. And then there was Grant, the strong one; Jonas the computer geek; and Zach was the leader.

But even though they were all different, there was something in the way they carried themselves, and in their eyes that made it seem as if they were all essentially the same.

"What if someone came to the mansion while I was gone," Cammie questioned him now, glaring. She didn't like the way he was looking at her. His eyes told her he thought he knew more than she did. In fact, now that she looked around, she saw they all look at her like that. Except for Grant, Jonas and Zach, but they were all at the exchange last semester. They had seen what Gallagher Girls could do, and Cammie hoped these other boys soon would, as well— for their sakes and hers.

"There are cameras and audio through out the entire school," she said, "If we get caught then we're dead meat. So unless you want to be spending your summer being debriefed by the CIA I'd suggest you listen and do as I say. Got it?"

Someone snickered and Chris regarded Cam silently. She glowered back.

The boys were silent after that as they all climbed into the tight room and shut the trapdoor.

"Alright," started Cammie, "here's what's going to happen." She explained the plan to the boys. It was fairly simple.

Cammie would sneak into the library from the tiny room they were in now and do a quick scope of the school. Then she would go to her mom's office and reset the security cameras to loop a picture of the empty halls over and over. That way it would look like there was no one walking around the school, when in reality Cammie and the Blackthorne Boys would be roaming around the school. Then, a few hours later Cammie would un-loop the cameras. That is, after the boys were safe on their way back to Blackthorne.

"Hey, Gallagher Girl." Zach's hand closed around Cammie's wrist as she reached the door to the library. Before she could open it, he pulled to him and looked her in the eye.

"Be careful, okay? Promise me you will." Cammie looked up at him. It was sweet that he would worry, even though she wasn't in any real danger at all. They only thing they were risking right now were their summer vacations. But if all went well with the plan then they shouldn't' have a problem.

As Cammie looked up at him all she wanted was to tell him that there was nothing to be worried about, that she was going to be right back. But when you're a spy you can never promise that you'll come back. And she didn't make promises she couldn't keep.

"I'll be careful…, "she told him. "But Zach…?"

"What?"

"You be careful, too," she said, smiling.

At this she leaned up and he leaned down and their lips met for a brief second. They broke apart, all too aware that every eye in this tiny space was on them.

Then Cammie crawled out of the secret passage… and into the waiting arms of someone in the shadows.

"Where the hell have you been?"


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey guys. I just want to say I'm sorry to the people who have already read this chapter, but I've decided to change it up a bit. I wasn't happy with the way it turned out before and it wasn't until i read through it after posting it that I found a few key mistakes in it. So I've re-uploaded it, and here it is. Note that the plot is still basically the same, but I've gone back and tweaked a few details. Also, I put a bit more into the Zammie in this chapter ;) so sorry again to everyone who hsa already read this chapter, but you might want to re-read it.**

**-katiebear95 ;)**

* * *

**CHAPTER II**

_"Where the hell have you been?"_

_

* * *

_Cammie gasped as strong hands grabbed her arms like a vise and yanked her to feet. She stared at the angry face in front of her.

_"Bex," _she choked.

"Of course it's me, you nimrod!" Bex yelled at her, her accent slipping. "Where the _bloody _hell _have_ you been? Do you have any idea how long we've been looking for you? Liz was in _this close_to hacking the CIA and anonymously reporting you MIA! We thought someone had bloody taken you," Bex screamed, shaking the other girl.

All Cammie could do was gape. "What are you doing here," she managed. "I thought you were in Prague with your parents! And Liz is here, too?"

Bex nodded, her anger simmering. She loosened her death grip on Cammie, instead pulling her into a hug. "Macey, as well," she said. "Her parents sent her back for the summer because they're spending it campaigning and they didn't want to drag her around with them. My parents sent me back, too because they got called back to London for a mission and I couldn't tag along. When Macey and I told Liz we would be spending summer with you here she convinced her parents to let her come, too."

Cammie broke into a grin and embraced her best friend again.

They broke apart when they heard a loud crash and an ominous 'Oopsie Daisy!' Bex and Cammie ran out into the hall to find a sheepish Liz standing by a broken vase. They looked from the shattered vase to a guilty looking Liz and then broke out laughing.

"Cammie," Liz exclaimed with a southern drawl. "I am _so_happy to see you!" She squealed (yes, actually squealage). Then she tried to squeeze the life out of Cammie in a hug that suspiciously resembled a choke hold.

"Is that happiness I hear," said an angry voice coming from around the corner. Macey stalked around the bend and froze. He eyes locked on her previously missing friend and her jaw dropped. "Cammie? Where the hell have you _been_," she demanded furiously.

"What?" said Cammie, feigning hurt. "I don't even get a 'hello'?" Macey grinned and they hugged it out.

"How has your summer been, Mace?" Cam asked when they pulled back. She could sense the tension emanating from the other girl in waves.

"Oh, you know. Typical summer with The Senator," said Macey, brushing it off. Cammie frowned. She knew Macey didn't have a very familial relationship with her parents, and neither of them was very fond of their daughter either.

"We'll talk later," Cam mouthed to Macey. The other girl nodded tightly and they turned back to Liz and Bex.

"Now, tell us where you've been!" Cammie's friends demanded.

* * *

Standing outside of her mother's office Cammie turned to her friends. On the way from the library Cammie had told her roommates the entire story, not leaving anything out. The girls had been stunned at first, but had recovered quickly. Cammie wasn't sure if it was because they were girls or because they were spies.

"You guys have to promise me you won't tell anyone, alright?" Cam looked her friends in the eyes.

"Of course we promise, silly!" said Liz. There was a 'dud' note in her voice.

"Honestly Cam, do you really think we would tell? Oh, and there are cobwebs in you hair," Bex said, reaching out to pluck something from Cammie's hair.

"Let's get on with this," said Macey impatiently. "I want to see these boys." Macey winked at Cammie, who flushed prettily.

Cammie mumbled something incoherent and pushed open the door to her Mom's office. They all shuffled inside while Cam made quick work of disabling the video in the school. She checked her internal clock and mentally groaned. It had been twelve minuets and forty-five seconds since she had left and Zach was probably freaking out by now. She had assured him it would take her nine minuets, tops, but her friends' arrival had distracted her.

"We better go and get the guys," Macey said, reading her friend's thoughts. The four girls all but ran back to the dark library.

It was now that Cammie noticed how dark it was. All that lit the room was the dim fire in the fireplace, sending strange shadows bouncing around the room.

"We'll wait here, Cam," said Bex.

"We can surprise them better this way," added Macey.

Cammie nodded and crawled towards the waiting Blackthorne boys.

* * *

As soon as the small door closed behind her she was swept up into Zach's arms in a bone-crushing hug.

"Jesus, Gallagher Girl," he said into her hair angrily. "What the hell took you so long? I thought something horrible had happened to you! That is that last time I ever let you go anywhere without backup! Don't you ever do that to me again! "

"Zach! I'm fine, really," Cammie said. "I just got a little distracted it all."

She felt his frown in her hair and pulled back to look up at him, but before she could say anything Zach crushed his lips down on hers. She forgot the other boys crammed in the room with them until someone cleared his throat. The two broke off instantaneously, and she took a step back, smack into the corner.

Zach looked her up and down, smirking slowly. Cammie blushed fiercely.

"Wow, Gallagher Girl," he said seductively.

"What?" Cammie squeaked.

"I didn't know I had that kind of effect on you," he said conceitedly.

Her eyebrows rose. "Oh? And what kind of effect would that be?" she replied indignantly, momentarily forgetting her embarrassment.

"Don't play dumb, Gallagher Girl," he said, smirking. "You think I'm _sexy_." He winked.

Cammie eyes widened and her jaw dropped open. Zach reached over and slowly snapped it back shut. The other boys raised their eyebrows.

"I _don't_ know what you're talking about," she stuttered, looking anywhere but him. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to look at in the small room.

"Uh-huh," he replied sarcastically. "Of course you don't." Suddenly he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him, until there wasn't any space between their bodies. He backed them up, successfully trapping her in the corner.

"You now what, Gallagher Girl," He leaned down and whispered into her neck. "You're a horrible liar." He gently nipped his teeth on the bare skin of Cammie's neck. She gasped and she could feel his smirk against her skin.

"All right, all right already," Grant interrupted. "Let's get a move on! I'm starving over here," he whined.

Cammie let out a gasp, trying to catch her breath. _Bless that boy and the bottomless pit he calls a stomach._ She heard Zach chuckle softly in her ear before he pulled away. She repressed a shiver.

"This way…" She mumbled. She got down on her knees and led the Blackthorne Boys into Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Women.

* * *

When Cammie emerged the first thing she noticed was the silver moonlight streaming through the windows. Her head whipped to the dark hearth where the fire had been lit. All that was left now was a thin line of smoke winding its way up the chimney.

Cammie frowned, but brushed it off. _I bet Bex put it out._

She looked around the room, her eyes squinting into the shadows, looking her friends.

But they weren't there.

* * *

**hope you liked this chapter! please PLEASE review! it means a lot to me!**

**-katiebear95**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, here's chapter three. **

**I just want to warn everyone right now that I replaced the former chapter two with a different version of itself. The explanation is at the beginning of chapter two, so I'm not going to explain it all again. Just know that I deleted the version in which Bex, Liz and Macey are replaced by three unknown people in the library. Instead, they just disappear. There aren't three other people. So sorry to everyone that liked the other version better, but I realized after I posted the original version of chapter two that it wasn't going to work with the plot line I've chosen. So I went back and re-wrote it. Honestly, I like this second version a lot more, but again, I apologize to everyone who liked the other version more. The same things are going to happen basically, just not in the same order. That's all, enjoy! :] **

—**katiebear95 ;)**

**p.s. review please! It means a lot to me when you guys tell me what you think! I want to try and get at least 30 reviews before I post another chapter. Bribery, ain't it sweet? ;)**

**

* * *

**

CHAPTER III

_She looked around the room, her eyes squinting into the shadows, looking her friends._

_But they weren't there._

* * *

Cammie's breathing sped up. _Where are they?_ She stepped forwards into the dark library. A chill went up her spine. Something was wrong. Something was seriously, seriously wrong.

"Bex," she whispered to the shadows. "Macey? Liz?"

Her breath was coming in short gasps now and the boys were all staring at her. Zach's vibrant green eyes were wide, worried.

"Gallagher Girl? What's wrong," he asked.

"Where are they," Cammie said to herself. She ran through the shadows, frantically probing for her best friends. Her voice grew louder and more insistent. "Where are they? They were here!" She sprinted through the room, searching every inch.

The Blackthorne Boys were seriously freaked at this point.

"Dude, what's up with your girlfriend," Austin asked Zach.

"You never told us she was schizo," Logan accused.

Zach growled at the other boys, enraged. "Shut _up_! There is _nothing_ wrong with her!"

"Bex," Cammie suddenly screamed.

"Cammie, what the hell," Zach yelled. He stopped her hysterical pacing, grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her into his chest. His arms closed around her like iron vises. "What in God's name is _up_ with you, Gallagher Girl? Tell me what happened," he yelled, shaking her slightly. He grabbed her jaw insistently and forced her frantic eyes to meet his.

"They were here," she whispered, trembling.

_She's terrified,_ Zach realized, astonished. She never got scared. Not his Gallagher Girl. She was too good for that.

"Who was here," he questioned, quietly urgent. He wanted to help her, but God knew he couldn't do that if he didn't know what was wrong.

"My friends," she said. Suddenly tears started streaming down her cheeks. They burst out of her until she was being wrenched around like a puppet, her sobs tearing through her body. Zach pressed her into him as tight as he could, trailing kisses down he wet cheeks. He murmured words of comfort, words only she could hear. He had never seen her like this, and frankly, it scared the shit out of him.

Zach's eyes lifted to the other boys. Half of them looked like they wanted to help and the other half looked like they wanted to throw their hands up and run. Most of them had never seen a girl cry before, at least not a girl they knew, and this was making a lasting impression.

Zach's gaze found Grant and Jonas. Everyone had heard Cammie's words, and there was no way anyone could have mistaken her scream. _Bex! _Jonas looked terrified, ready to puke his guts out. Grant looked about ready to kill someone, the rage pouring off him like sweat, but under it Zach could tell he was just as scared as the rest of them. Zach was completely confident that Grant was in love with Bex and he understood it must be killing him to hear this. Obviously, something terrible had happened to them. Cammie thought they were here, but Gallagher looked eerie and deserted in a way Zach had never seen before. It looked dangerous.

Zach returned his stare to the girl he clutched to him. "Gallagher Girl," he said once her tears slowed down. "Gallagher Girl, tell me what happened. Please."

Cammie looked up, surprised. Zach Goode just said please— Zach Goode, who never begged for anything, ever. She screwed her eyes shut and forced herself to stop crying. When she opened her eyes she realized Zach had carried her to one of the plush couches. He sat her in his lap, his arms cradling her. The Blackthorne Boys had gathered around the couch.

Now they stood crammed together, closing in on Cammie, but not in a threatening way. They took on more of a protective stance. They could see that Zach was clearly in love with the girl, and Zach was their brother. That made Cammie as close as a sister to them, and no matter how many jokes or jibes they threw her way, no matter how much they disliked her personally, they would protect and care for her in ways they had never done for anyone outside their brotherhood before.

Zach rubbed circles on Cammie's arms, smoothing down the goose bumps she got from the cold. She shivered and he folded her into him, melding her body to his.

When Cammie looked up she met the stares of all the boys curiously, her gaze flickering from boy to boy. From Justin's ice blue eyes to Mario's dark eyes; from Nick's caramel ones to Dmitri's strange violet ones; from Chris' hazel gaze to Logan's white-grey stare; from Austin's clear olive-colored eyes to Tyler's clouded brown eyes; from Michael's angelic blue to Daniel's sapphire blue to Matt's moss green eyes; from Grant's twinkling chocolate brown eyes to Jonas' bottomless blue eyes; and finally to Zach's sparkling emerald eyes.

Zach's voice brought her back. "Tell us, Gallagher Girl. Tell us what happened." His eyes probed Cammie's, looking for some sort of hint, of clue. She looked back at him, straight in the eyes. She drew in a long breath and told her story.

"Bex, Macey and Liz were here. They came back from the summer when I was at Blackthorne, and they were looking for me when I left you guys to shut off the cameras. I told them everything about you guys being here and they said they would wait here until I cam back with you. They were supposed to be here. They wouldn't have just left like that. But they aren't here, now, and I know something is really wrong. Something terrible is going on, but I don't know what. All I know is that something bad happened to them and they're gone now." Cammie's eyes begged Zach's to believe her, not to tell her she was overreacting or crazy.

He looked down at her and saw the desperation in her eyes. Cammie wasn't a liar, he knew as much. As far fetched as the story sounded, he knew she was telling the truth as she knew it to be. But was the truth as she saw it what actually happened?

"How do you know," Zach asked.

"What," asked Cammie, confused.

"You said you knew something bad had happened, but you didn't say how. How do you know they didn't just go upstairs? How do you know they didn't just get hungry and go to the kitchen?"

"Because I know they wouldn't do that. They're Gallagher Girls, and Gallagher Girls always stand by their words. They said they would wait here, and I know that they meant it. Which means that sonly something really bad could have happened for them not to be here now," Cammie said simply. "And also," she added, her eyes twinkling mischeviously, "I know Bex and Liz wanted to see Grant and Jonas real bad." She smiled real big at Grant and Jonas, both of whom had flushed.

Zach looked down at his Gallagher Girl and then around at his classmates. Some of them were smiling at Cammie, or at Grant or Jonas, a few were silently shaking with laughter, and a few had their masks firmly set in place. But he could still tell that they were all worried. They all wanted to know why Cammie's friends had disappeared.

Then he looked back down at Cammie, who was studying him in the dim light. She couldn't help but notice how the moonlight glinted of his hair, and how soft his expression looked right now. A small frown appeared between his brows as he thought long and hard, and she immediately reached up a hand to smooth it down. When her hand came in contact with her skin he looked down at her surprised. She blushed and looked away, and he smirked smugly.

"Just can't get enough of me, can you Gallagher Girl?" His expression went from soft to arrogant in a split second. Cammie snorted.

"You wish, Blackthorne Boy," she said huffily, but her eyes told him otherwise. Confidently he leaned down into her and pressed his lips against hers roughly. She sighed into him and buried her face in his chest once again as the tears starts rolling silently.

When they stopped Cammie leaned up and hugged him, silently thanking him. Her nose nuzzled against his ear and his breath sped up. _She doesn't even know, _he thought to himself amused.

"What are we going to do," she whispered into his neck, her breath tickling his skin.

He pulled back and looked her straight in the eye.

"We're going to go find them."

* * *

**Hope you guys liked it! Don't forget: review, review, review! Usually I'm not one to ask for more, but I just can't help it. I'm aiming for at least 30 reviews before I update again.**

—**katiebear95 ;)**

**P.S. sorry again for the chapter two thing.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Hey, here's the next chapter. I'm sorry it took me so long to put this up after I basically bribed you guys the last time with a promise that I would update this sooner, but I've been insanely busy these last few days. I just moved and I've been getting enrolled at my new school. Today I met with a school counselor who is **_**seriously**_** stressed. She looked at the manila folder my transcript was in and I swear I thought she was either going to burst into tears or have a spasmodic laughing attack. Then she went about a letter opener. What was she on, huh? **

**Anyways, I'm aiming for fifty reviews this time, so please, **_**please**_** review! The sooner we get to fifty the sooner I'll put up the next chapter! (I mean it this time.)**

—**katiebear95 ;)**

**P.S. I'm sorry if the last chapter was really fluff-filled. It was just more of a comfort chapter because in ****The Way to Blackthorne****(the prequel) Zach was a lot more emotional, and since this isn't in first-person and you don't hear those thoughts I thought that the concerned and in-love side of him needed to come across in some way. So that's why there has been, and will continue to be, a lot of Zammie in this story.**

**WARNING: this chapter contains pg-13 to R rated language. If you find that offensive, don't read.**

* * *

**CHAPTER IV**

_He pulled back and looked her straight in the eye._

"_We're going to go find them."_

* * *

"Everyone takes a comms," Zach commanded. "We're splitting up."

The Blackthorne Boys were standing in Headmistress Morgan's office while Cammie divided them up. "Justin, Michael and Jonas are going to be Team 1. Team 2 is Chris, Mario and Nick. Team 3 is Daniel, Matt, and Tyler. Austin, Logan and Grant are Team 4."

"And Cam, Dmitri and I are Team 5," finished Zach.

"Alright," Cammie said. "Team 1, you're going to search the labs. Team 2 gets the second floor corridor, where all the classrooms are, and also the P&E Barn. Team 3 gets the dorms." A few of the boys grunted, but Cammie ignored them. "Team 4 gets the East Wing, and Team 5 gets the Sublevels and passages."

"We're using codenames," reminded Zach. Everyone nodded.

"Let's go, go, go," said Justin enthusiastically. He practically ran out of the office, with Michael and Jonas trailing behind. One by one the teams left, until only Zach, Cammie and Dmitri were left. They adjusted their comms and flipped them on.

"Ghost is in," said Zach.

"Chameleon is in," said Cammie.

"Prince is in," said Dmitri.

The responses came rapidly as the teams quickly did a general sweep of the dark halls before they made their way to their assigned locations. The voices over the comms rattled off one at a time in swift synchronization.

"Muscles is in." _Grant._

"Falcon is in." _Nick._

"Napoleon is in." _Chris._

"El Toro is in." _Mario_.

"Virus is in." _Jonas_.

"Dagger is in." _Logan_.

"Cadet is in." _Tyler_.

"Fugitive is in." _Daniel_.

"Acrobat is in." _Austin_.

"Angel is in." _Michael_.

"Bull Dog is in." _Matt_.

"Bearded Lady is in." _Justin_.

"Bearded Lady?" Cammie blurted, eyebrows raised. Justin grunted over comms and a few of the boys snickered.

Cam shook her head and went over to the door. "Let's go."

* * *

Their foot-steps echoed in the dank passages. Cammie, Zach and Dmitri had thoroughly searched Sublevel 1, but they didn't have the clearance to gain access to the others. Now they were walking through the hidden passages of Gallagher.

Cammie sighed and tried to keep her tired eyes open. It had been almost twenty-hours since she had last slept and the stress from the past day was taking its toll. The fact that the school was near pitch dark didn't help her to stay awake either. She knew the others were tired too since every few minuets she would hear one of the boys yawn or shake themselves. It faintly bothered her to know that all of them were ready to fall asleep on their feet; they were spies and they should be ready for this.

She yawned again and she felt Zach's arm drape itself across her shoulders. They had been walking side by side for the past two and a half hours, Dmitri a few paces ahead.

"You see anything, Virus?" Like now, once and awhile one of the boys would check up on the other teams. This time it was Grant who had spoken to Jonas.

"No, we've got nothing Muscles."

"Eagle, Fugitive, Prince?"

"Same as Virus over here."

"Ditto."

"Same."

"It's getting late, Chameleon," Daniel remarked. After a brief pause he spoke again. "Do we call it quits, or keep looking?" His tone was uncertain, but of what Cam wasn't sure. Zach and Dmitri both looked to her, as if to gauge her reaction. The other boys waited to hear what she had to say.

Cammie had adopted a sort of leadership role with the boys, and they had taken to leaving all final decisions to her, but this was a very hard choice for her to make. She wanted to find her friends and make sure they were okay, but she couldn't force these boys to walk around all night on what was turning out to be a wild goose hunt. "Let's call it a night," she sighed.

"You sure?" _Leave it to Zach_, Cammie thought.

"Let's meet back in the library." She turned and walked away, purposefully avoiding the question. She could hear Zach and Dmitri quietly following. Zach's hand gave hers a reassuring squeeze.

When they had all gathered back in the library they all sank into the plush velvet couches. After a minuet of silence Mario spoke up. "So…what do we do now?"No one said anything for awhile.

"We could keep looking," thought Chris aloud, apprehensively eyeing Cammie's defeated slump.

"No," snapped the girl in question. "There isn't any point staying up all night searching in the dark. We're just going to wear ourselves out." Then she added in a softer manner, "Tomorrow when the sun is up it'll be much easier to search the mansion."

"Yeah…speaking of tomorrow," started Nick, awkwardly scratching his arms. He looked at Cam apologetically. "See…tomorrow is sort of when Blackthorne gets off for summer break…and… we've all already made plans." The boys squirmed in their seats. None of them were very fond of the idea to leave Cam hanging, but if they didn't get back to Blackthorne soon this could very well end up in a bona fide Gallagher ultimatum.

"We aren't leaving." Every head swiveled to Zach's livid face. He spoke through clenched teeth. "How can any of you even fucking think about leaving?"

No one said anything.

"What could possibly make you think leaving is the answer," he demanded. He thrust himself of the couch where he was sitting and spun to face them so fast that if one had blinked they would have missed the entire thing. He stood in front of them with his fists clenched and his jaw tight.

"Zach, really it's fine! I underst—" Cammie was cut off by a strange sort of growl coming from deep in Zach's throat.

"Don't you _dare_ try to defend them Cameron!" Zach yelled, all remnants of his self-control shattered. Cammie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped before she snapped it shut. "There is no excuse for any of us to fucking leave! Who the hell cares if we get in a little trouble! It's nothing we can't handle— we're fucking spies for Christ's sake!" Zach's infuriated glare seems to fiercely glare directly at every other pair in the room.

"Dude, it isn't like we _want_to leave—" Zach cut Chris off mid-sentence.

"No! You sure as fucking hell shouldn't want to fucking leave!" Zach screamed furiously. "There is something seriously wrong here! Bex and Liz and Macey— they fucking _disappeared_! This isn't some Cove. Ops test where everything is going to be okay! This is the real thing! The thing _we've_ been training for our whole lives! People could die if we don't so something! And you want to _fucking leave?" _Zach's enraged words turn from a scream of hate to a deadly hiss, seeping into every corner of the room. "The day hell freezes over is the day I thought I would see you all _runaway!_"

Jaws went slack, hands clenched, breaths were sucked in, but no one dared say anything.

Until they heard the scream.

* * *

**I hope that was okay. Remember, fifty reviews!**

**—katiebear95 ;)**


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey.**

**So, I know it's been a little while since I updated, but I've been on vacation and my mom actually **_**ban **_**me from getting onto FanFiction until we got home. I know I shouldn't be giving you excuses, but there it is. Also, thank you **_**so **_**much to everyone who reviewed! I've gotten tons more reviews than I thought I would—**_**way **_**more than my other story ('The Way to Blackthorne,' the prequel) which only got about thirty-five (still a good amount). And that was a ten-chapter story, while this so far is only the fifth chapter of this story. Right now I plan for this story to have about 13 chapters, not including the prologue and epilogue. **

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and thanks again, everyone.**

—**katiebear95 ;)**

**

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**

CHAPTER V

"_The day hell freezes over is the day I thought I would see you all _runaway!_"_

_Jaws went slack, hands clenched, breaths were sucked in, but no one dared say anything— until they heard the screaming. _

* * *

Cammie's blood went cold. She _knew _that voice. She knew that _sceam_.

_Liz_.

Cammie's breathing hitched as she stumbled up from her seat on the couch. Before she even knew what she was doing she had pushed past Zach and was running—running and running and running. Her mind blocked everything out. All that made sense now was this wild need to find Liz.

She didn't hear the boys shouting behind her, calling for her to stop. She didn't know when Zach bolted after her, determined not to lose her in the shadows. She didn't see the shadows lurking in the doorways.

All she knew was the screams.

Zach ran after Cammie like her life depended on it— or all he knew it did. He knew something had triggered in Cammie when she heard the screams. Hell, something triggered in all of them. But there was something different with Gallagher Girl that set her off. She knew something, but what it was he couldn't think of.

Now, as he sprinted, he willed himself not to trip in the pitch black. He could hear his classmates cursing in the rear of him as they stampeded through the corridors of the empty school. But Zach couldn't help but wonder if Gallagher Academy really was empty after all.

* * *

None of them knew how far they ran as they ducked through empty passages, skidded around dark corners. But just as the screams were getting too close for comfort they stopped— mid-shriek. It was like a switch had been flipped as the quiet flooded the halls again.

Cammie stopped, too; her breathing labored, and registered the Blackthrone Boys awkwardly stopping beside her.

She squinted in the darkness and spun around. "Which way," she asked; her breath still coming in short gasps. No one answered, because no one had kept track of where they had been going. They had relied entirely on their sense of hearing and let their instincts guide them.

That was their first mistake. In the life of a spy, your instincts can be your strongest weapon, or your worst enemy. They could keep you alive or they could get you killed. The trick is knowing when to listen to them and when to ignore them— impulse control. Now, as the group stood breathing heavily in the dark, there wasn't a single one of them who wasn't wondering if they hadn't made the worse choice.

Cammie, exhausted, slid down a wall and sunk her head in her hands. How was it that in one night her school—her home—had turned gone from safe to fatal?

"What is it, Gallagher Girl?" Zach broke her reverie.

Cammie lifted her head and to met Zach's cautious gaze. "It was Liz," she said.

"What?" His brow furrowed.

"It was Liz," she repeated louder.

The boys exchanged looks, and it didn't escape any one of them Jonas' stricken look.

"You sure about that," Chris questioned Cam.

"It could have been anyone," Mario said.

Cammie looked at him dead serious. "I just know, okay?" There wasn't any room for argument in her tone. "I just now,' she sighed again to herself.

Zach kneeled in front of her and took her in his arms. He hugged her close, her head on his shoulder, as if he could keep her from shattering. "I believe you," he said in her ear. He tenderly pressed his lips to hers and got up. He offered Cam his hand. She took it and he smoothly lifted her to her feet.

As soon as she was up Grant enveloped her in another tight hug. After the first awkward moment of surprise, Cammie felt herself relax into him and return the embrace. Then, much to her surprise, Zach joined in; then Jonas. Then Michael, then Justin; Mario, then Matt; Nick and then Chris; Dmitri, Logan, Austin; Tyler and Daniel—until they were all clinging to each other in one massive bear hug.

"You know," said Mario, "my mama always says hugs are the answer."

"Your mama knows what she's talking 'bout," yawned Austin. He closed his eyes contentedly.

The other boys stared at the two for a moment before Cammie felt deep vibrations shake through her as the boys silently guwaffed, a rumbling deep in their abdomens. Cammie laughed openly when she felt it, and the boys erupted in giggles—yes, actual giggleage.

For a moment, it was as if time had stopped and they could breathe without a gigantic pressure weighing down on them.

Cammie felt lips press softly against the top of her head and looked up to see Grant grinning down at her. "We're gonna find them, Cam," he whispered to her, smiling knowingly. His eyes sparked and he hugged her closer. "We're gonna find them."

* * *

When they broke off from each other, they started walking back towards the Hall of History. They figured there was no point waiting around in the dark to see if the screaming would start again.

"Maybe the cameras caught something," Jonas had said encouragingly.

After awhile (seven minutes and twenty-three seconds) of moving slowly through the dark, Zach spoke up. "I just… I shouldn't have said what I did, but I meant what I said in the library." His voice was cool and soft.

"We know," said Mario, just as softly. Then he broke out in a grin as he and Chris simultaneously draped an arm lazily around Cam's shoulder. "And don't worry." He turned from Zach to Cammie. "You ain't getting' rid of us that easy, Gallagher Girl," he said, mimicking Zach's cocky tone.

The boys chuckled and Zach glared. Then he, oh-so-subtly, pushed Mario and Chris out of the way and pulled Cammie to his side. Cammie laughed.

"Jealous," she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"You're mine," he said. "I thought we'd already established that." He smirked at her and planted a sloppy right on her mouth. She pulled away and playfully flicked his arm. He gasped in mock horror before smirking again when she laughed.

After that they walked in silence for a while, each lost in thought, until Cammie suddenly tripped. She gasped and shut her eyes tight, but before she could oh-so-gracefully topple over, Zach swiftly latched a hand onto her wrist and clasped her to his body.

"Careful there, Gallagher Girl," he warned, chuckling. Cammie let out a relieved breath. One thing that wasn't on her list of things to do today along with 'find missing friends' was 'trip and fall, successfully looking like an idiot in front of these boys—these good-looking boys.'

When she looked up at Zach though, he was squinting at whatever it was she had tripped over. Her attention swiveled and she peered into the shadows by her feet. Then, just as she could faintly make out the outline of a fairly large lump, Zach froze.

"Turn around, Gallagher Girl," Zach suddenly demanded. There was something urgent in his voice that put Cammie immediately on edge. Her roughly grabbed her arm and tried to spin her around, his eyes never leaving the lump. "Turn around Cammie." Her head snapped in his direction when he said her name. The other boys gasped when they realized what it was, but Cammie still couldn't make it out.

"Zach, what—"But then he was shoving her behind him again, trying to hide her from view. Or maybe trying it from view—Cammie wasn't sure which.

"Hey!" Cammie protested as Zach handed her off to another one of the boys, cursing. Strong arms grasped her and forced her behind them. "What is it? What's wrong," she demanded. 'Tell me what's going on," she practically shouted. Still, no one would answer her. None of the boys would even look her in the eyes while they tried to shield her from seeing whatever it was. Panic and devastation were written on their faces, horror embedded in their eyes.

If Cammie couldn't see around them, or over them, there was only one thing to do. She dropped down to her knees and ducked under the dumbfounded boys. She crawled her way to Zach, who was kneeling on the ground beside it. This time no one but Zach bothered to restrain her. He spun to face her and tried to block it with his body. "No," he hissed.

But it was no use. Cammie still saw— and she desperately wished she hadn't, because what she saw was sick. It was a body, covered in sticky blood, deep gashes running across the skin. It had obviously been beaten, and then put under the knife. But as Cammie's eyes traveled up the body she realized something. She felt her stomach drop to her knees and all the air leave her body. It wasn't just any body—

It was Bex.

And then red lights were flashing as the words 'CODE BLACK' reverberated through the walls.

Hell had broken loose.

* * *

**I really hope you guys liked this chapter because I've worked on this one more than I've worked on any other chapter so far, I think. It may not be my best writing, but I'm proud of the way it turned out because this was a very difficult chapter to write out.**

**Sorry that it ends in a major cliffy, but don't worry, I'll update ASAP. **

—**katiebear95 ;)**

**P.S. Sixty-five reviews? 0:]**


	7. Chapter 6

_I am so happy. Like, extremely happy._

_I posted chapter 5 only two days ago and there are already more reviews than I asked for! So thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank youuuuuuuu! I love you guys for this so much, and for all the great things you've been saying about this story._

_Oh, but don't hesitate to be mean. If you see something wrong or just something you plain don't like, please, please tell me, and I'll do my best to fix it. But be as brutally honest as you possibly can. 0:]_

_Sincerely, in an unusually happy mood (;]),_

_—katiebear95 ;)_

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CHAPTER VI

_It wasn't just any body—_

_It was Bex._

_And then red lights were flashing as the words 'CODE BLACK' reverberated through the walls._

_Hell had broken loose._

* * *

If Cammie hadn't known any better she would have said the earth had just stopped spinning, because, if only for a moment, everything was deathly silent. But then the world came rushing back to her and the shrieks of the alarms sounded.

_"CODE BLACK, CODE BLACK, CODE BLACK,_" they went on.

Cammie couldn't resist clamping her hands over her ears, and her vision went red. But she couldn't _see_ anything; _hear_ anything, other than the sound of the alarms that meant something—although she couldn't for the life of her remember what.

All that registered in her mind was the cold seeping into her body as she stared down at _it_—at her best friend's lifeless body.

Then her world went black.

* * *

Zach felt rather than saw Cammie slump over, her hands pressing over her ears. He grabbed her and held her close, even as his vision blurred and he felt himself slipping into oblivion as well.

It was too much—just too much… for any of them. It was as if, in a minute—just _one minute_— everything had changed. The whole dynamic of everything they that had thought had shifted off its axis and now it was catapulting into a black hole.

They just couldn't take it.

Out of the corner of his eye Zach watched as Gallagher went into lock down. Metal barriers covered doors, lights flashed, artifacts spun; and through it all the shrieking wouldn't stop.

_'CODE BLACK, CODE BLACK, CODE BLACK!'_

What did it _mean_? There was something, but he couldn't remember as his focus shattered. All that mattered was that moment— not _who_, or _why_, or _how_.

He buried his head deep in Cammie's hair, her head resting on his chest as he folded his body over hers. He tried to block it all out. The shock and the pain, but he couldn't stop himself from staring at Bex. _Bex.._. There was no way that was her. How could it have been Bex? Nothing worked. It didn't compute.

But then he felt himself slipping.

And in the last seconds before he too fell prey to the dark, he thought of the faint pulse on her neck he was surely imagining.

* * *

The world was spinning. That's what each of the boys felt as vibrations shook the floorboards. They toppled into one another as the world started to shift under their feet.

* * *

Cammie's eyes were shut.

She was almost certain she had fainted... but do you hear things when you faint? It was almost as if she was hearing everything that was happening in the real world through a closed door; like she was watching everything through a thick pane of glass.

And then the door opened and the glass shattered and the world went silent.

* * *

_I know this is the shortest chapter in the entire story, except for maybe the prologue, but just go with it. I promise the next chapter will be a lot longer. I just felt like I needed to describe the confusion in what was happening right where last chapter left off, and I thought this was a pretty good way to do it. Also, the confusing parts will hopefully be explained in the next chapter._

_I'm aiming for 73 reviews. What do you think? Hope you liked this one alright _

_—katiebear95 ;)_


	8. Chapter 7

_Hey guys! _

_Let me just start off by saying how incredibly, INCREDIBLY __**sorry**__ I am. I haven't updates since the end of summer break and I feel awful for it. I kept telling myself I would come back and write the next chapter, and continue on with the story, but other thins kept popping up and taking it's place. Being completely honest, I almost decided to give this story up, but then I went back and read it and realized how much I actually like it. Now, I'm not saying that the stories perfect—not by a long shot. I'm probably going to have to come back to it in the future and edit/revise the entire thing, including the prequel, but that's a long ways off. First, I have to finish the story.  
_

_Sadly, I can't say that I'm going to be updating every week or anything like that (because school defiantly comes first, and, especially right now, I'm getting lots of homework __**bleh**__), but I don't want to be one of those writers who takes two or three years to complete a story. That's cruel, in my opinion. I'll try and update _at least_ twice a month, and sorry if that isn't enough for some of you, but I have to keep my priorities in check._

_Lastly, I just want to thank all my reviewers—I've gotten so many reviews on this story, it amazes me. There's way more than I thought there ever would be and I'm still getting emails about them. So thank you everyone, and, after this ridiculously long author's note, I give you chapter 7. _

_Enjoy,_

_P.S. Yes, I did change my pen name, and I've also updated my profile for anyone who wants to go check that out. That's also where I'll be putting most of the info about my stories and their status' and all that._

_

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**CHAPTER VII**

_Cammie's eyes were shut._

_She was almost certain she had fainted... but do you hear things when you faint? It was almost as if she was hearing everything that was happening in the real world through a closed door; like she was watching everything through a thick pane of glass._

_And then the door opened and the glass shattered and the world went silent._

_

* * *

_

When Cammie opened her eyes the first thing she noticed was the light. A bright, yellow glow filled the halls of the previously dark mansion.

The next thing she noticed were Zach's arms, still firmly locked around her as they were when they both lost consciousness.

"Zach," she murmured into his hair, as she gently shook the boy awake. He blinked as he took everything in: the off-kilter boys picking themselves up off the floor, the lights, the quiet…the blood, until they finally rested on Cam's face. Their eyes met as a grim look passed through them. Cammie shivered.

Their eyes never broke contact as Cammie's slowly started to pool with tears. She took long, shuddering breaths until Zach rested his forehead against hers, offering comfort only he could give her.

"What happened?" Cammie whispered.

"Cam," Zach closed his eyes, wondering what he could say. Your friends are dead? They've been murdered? You won't ever see them again?

No, he couldn't do anything. He glanced over Cammie's shoulder and stare.

And it was in that moment, just as his gaze met the wall just over the peak of Cammie's left shoulder, that he saw Bex twitch.

It was a twitch—Just a twitch. But it was enough.

Zach's eyes widened and his breath became ragged and he whipped his head towards the unmoving body.

"Zach?" Cammie felt his body stiffen and jerk through their embrace. "What's wrong?"

He didn't answer, just continued staring at Bex. Then slowly, his gaze flickered to Liz. Then to Macey. Until it rested on Bex again.

"Zach?" Cammie might as well have been speaking to the wall. "Zach!" She jerked out of his arms and frowned at him. Seeing his concentrated expression she followed his eyes slowly, dreading what she would see.

"There," Zach whispered just as Bex's finger twitched again. It wasn't his imagination—it was really there. A normal person wouldn't have seen it, but he wasn't normal, was he? He was trained for exactly this: seeing the little things. The little things mattered.

Cammie's eyes were now on Bex as well and they both held their breaths. Waiting, just to be sure.

They didn't hear the other boys murmuring amongst themselves. They didn't see them approach from behind. They didn't answer their worried glances.

They watched. Just watched, and waited.

And there it was! It happened again! And faintly, a groan.

It took precisely six and a half seconds for the bruised and disgruntled group to gather around the girls, checking their vitals and performing CPR.

Cammie could barely breathe in her relief. They were alive! Her best friends! They were going to be okay. Over Bex's body where a frantic and hopeful Grant was hovering and pumping her chest, her eyes once again met brilliant emerald orbs. Their eyes conveyed everything they felt: joy, relief, exhaustion, and fear. Always fear. It was the life a spy.

"Cam…" Zach whispered.

Cammie nodded in understanding. They had to get out of Gallagher, and soon. Cam's friends might be alive now, but if they didn't get help soon they would die anyways. Cammie couldn't let that happen.

And what about who did this? Whoever hurt Liz and Macey and Bex, whoever set off the Code Black, whoever turned on the lights, was still locked in the mansion—With them.

They had to get out, now, or something terrible would happen.

* * *

_Okay, I know that wasn't very long, but bear with me. More will come soon, I promise ;) Review and tell me what you think._

_P.S. I'm sorry if the tone of the story is a little off in this chapter or anything like that. It's been awhile and I'm still getting back into the swing of things. :)_

_Also, don't be afraid to flame. In fact, please do. _


	9. Chapter 8

_Okay, so yes I have changed my penname back. And yes, I know I'm probably one of the worst updaters ever. I'm sorry _

_So I hope this chapter is adequate (__ big word;)) and I hope all my lovely readers will forgive me. _

_Enjoy,_

_Katiebear95 ;)_

_

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_

**CHAPTER VIII**

_They had to get out of Gallagher, and soon. Cam's friends might be alive now, but if they didn't get help soon they would die anyways. Cammie couldn't let that happen._

_And what about who did this? Whoever hurt Liz and Macey and Bex, whoever set off the Code Black, whoever turned on the lights, was still locked in the mansion—With them._

_They had to get out, now, or something terrible would happen._

_

* * *

_

"What do we have to do," Zach asked, looking Cammie directly in the eyes. His eyes darted around the corridor.

"We can't go back to Blackthorne; whoever is here could follow us back there. For all we know they're waiting for us in the tunnel. We have to get to the hospital in Roseville," Cammie thought aloud. Zach nodded.

"Okay…so which way's out," one of the boys asked.

"Uhh…," Cammie trailed off. Chris' eyes bugged out.

"You don't _know?_"

"Yo, I thought you knew all the secrets of this school," called Mario from the back. Cammie scowled.

"No one knows _all_ of Gilly's secrets. That's ridiculous." Cam took a deep breath and looked down the hall. "What we need is the secret tunnel—the one I used to sneak out to see Josh." (Zach winced.)

"Right, so what's the damn problem then," Grant growled. "Let's book it." He was still bent over Bex, gripping her hand to his chest tightly.

Cammie answered slowly, her thoughts considering their options. "They—whoever they is—will be expecting that. They obviously knew how important Bex and Liz and Macey are to me, or else they would've grabbed all of us—me included—before I ever got back to the secret room to get you guys. That means I'm the target here, not you." Zach quietly cursed, but Cammie continued as if she hadn't heard him. "They knew how to manipulate us into coming here, but specifically me. I'm the one who recognized the scream. I don't think they ever counted on the Blackthorne Boys being here." At this Cammie looked up from the floor and met each boys' eyes. "And they knew how to get into the school. _No one_ has ever done that before."

Cammie met Zach's eyes last. He continued her train of thought, "Whoever did this knew what they were doing. They knew how to do it, they knew where to do it, and they knew when to do it. But we're—" he indicated the small group of boys with a wave of his large, lithe hand, "—the wildcard. 'They', whoever 'they' are, never planned on us being here." Cammie nodded. They were enveloped in silence as each took in the words.

"Right," said Chris urgently, breaking the silence. "We need to get out of here."

"Like, now dude," agreed Mario, vigorously nodding his head.

"I don't get it," said Justin. "Why don't we just walk out the front door?"

"When the alarm went off all the doors were sealed shut," answered Matt answered. "They haven't opened back up yet." He pointed to the doors running down the corridor, which none of the others had conveniently noticed were still covered in sheets of steel, effectively blocking any exit or entering. Austin's hands clenched in aggravation and Logan made a noise in the back of his throat. Daniel, always the cool-headed one, examined one of the doors.

"There's no way any of us are getting through this," he said. "There's at least two inches of solid metal on each one." Nick started shifting from foot to foot in impatience (apparently his only weakness.) And through the entire discussion only Dmitri, Tyler and Michael didn't speak up—Tyler because he was a pavement artist, Michael because he firmly believed in not saying anything if he had nothing nice to say, and Dmitri because he simple had nothing to say.

"Cammie," Jonas called to her quietly over the now bickering teenage boys. "Cammie," he raised his sad blue eyes to look at her and away from Liz's small body, "Is there any other way out.

Cammie opened her mouth to say no, but something stopped her. She suddenly recalled a passage she had found, way back in the seventh grade. She had been playing hide and seek with herself (don't ask, only a spy can do it) and had stumbled down into the Sublevels. She had never meant to do it; it was a complete accident. But while trying to find her way out she had instead found a new passage. It was old and looked as if it had been untouched for decades. Cammie had only hesitated briefly before taking the dark tunnel. Two hours and thirteen minutes later she stumbled out of some bushes three-quarters down the road from Gallagher to Roseville.

Cammie had completely forgotten the tunnel after her one adventure, but now she wondered if maybe it might be their only way out. It had been years, and she could only scarcely remember where it was.

"Gallagher Girl," a voice interrupted her thoughts. She raised her eyes and found his chest, now only about an inch and a half from the tip of her nose. She looked up at his face; at his dark hair and fair, creamy skin; into his brilliant emerald eyes. Distantly she imagined how similar in appearance he sounded to Harry Potter, and she couldn't help but feel the corner of her mouth turn up a bit. But soon the happy feeling was gone and she was once again aware of how real this all way. "Gallagher Girl," Zach's hand came to her face and his warm breath fell over his face. Cammie closed her eyes and breathed deeply. His deep voice sounded firm, but desperate. "Is there any other way out of the mansion?" She took a second to answer.

"Yes."

Twenty minuets later Cammie and the Blackthorne Boys were standing at the entrance to their only way out of Gallagher.

But what was waiting for them in the shadows?

* * *

_Okay I hope you guys liked it. I know, again it wasn't that long. I just want everyone to know that this is nowhere near the end. I have about another seven chapters to write before this story is done. And who knows, maybe a sequel? ;) Oh, but don't think this is one of those stories where tons of new things are always coming into the picture. I have a defined and planned timeline/plot and I've been following it quite nicely._

_Love you,_

_katiebear95 ;)_

_P.S. I've put a poll up on my profile about this story. It's about the amount of Zammie I'll be putting in here. The reason I'm doing it is because I've been getting some contradicting reviews. Nothing to freak over, but if you're interested or you really care about what goes in here come and take it._

_Oh, and READ AND REVIEW ;)_


	10. Blackthorne Boys Character Guide

**READ FIRST:**

**okay guys, its me. to anyone who is still reading this, i apologize for not updating AGAIN. I know I promise you guys again and again that I will and I never do, but I'm trying. **

**So, this update may seem a little weird to you, but I've decided to post a guide to the Blackthorne Boys sophomore class on here. It's basically a guide to each of their appearances, personalities, ethnicities, code names, etc. I had originally created this list before I started writing this story and I have to refer back to it ALL the time when I'm writing the chapters. I thought that maybe it might get confusing for some of you too, trying to keep up with them, so I've decided to post the list I made for your reference as well. If you're ever feeling confused about who is who, just come back to this and it should give you some answers (hopefully). If you want to know anything else about them, pm me. **

**Also, farther down I also included excerpts from this story and the prequel, "The Way to Blackthorne," that describe the boys' appearances and personalities.**

**I really hope this helps you guys like it helps me, even if you're just curious.**

**Bye,**

**-katiebear95 ;)**

**P.S. There's a poll on my profile about the amount of zach/cammie fluff I should put in this fic and its really important to me that my readers visit that and hopefully fill it out because I love hearing what you guys think. I mainly put it up because I had been getting some contradictory reviews as to the amount of sexy zach/cammie fluff I had been putting in, so this would also really help me writing the chapters. (hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge, the sooner I get some info the sooner I update...)**

**P.P.S. And I promise, I WILL finish this story.**

**P.P.P.S. (this is getting unnecessarily long) please review! believe it or not, it really does help me. and I really want to know what you think of my writing; tell me what i could improve on, what I'm doing wrong or what I'm not doing enough! flame me! I want to know what you think! thanks, love you, bye. (for real this time)**

* * *

**Blackthorne Boys: (and appearances)**

Zachary Goode (Zach) "Ghost"

Dark brown hair, emerald green eyes (clear, deep, guarded)

Tall, muscular

American

Grant Newman "Muscles"

Tan, dark golden-brown hair, brown eyes (shiny, bright)

Medium height, broad, muscular

American

Jonas Anderson "Virus"

Dark hair, dark blue eyes (clear, understanding) , fair

Medium height, scrawny

American

Nicholas (Nick) Taylor "Falcon"

Brown hair, caramel eyes (reflective, clear, open), fair

Medium height, lean, average

American

Christopher (Chris) Reynolds "Napoleon"

Dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, (flecked, sharp, observant)

Medium height, lean, muscled

American

Mario Garza "El Toro"

Dark hair, dark eyes , tan

Short, broad, average

Hispanic

Dmitri Ivanovo "Prince"

Dark haired, purple eyes (guarded, secretive, reflective), fair

Tall (lanky), lean, muscled

Russian

Justin Phillips "Bearded Lady"

Black hair, light blue eyes (loud, open, humorous)

Medium-height, broad

American

Logan Evans "Dagger"

Pale blonde hair, white-grey eyes (sharp), fair

Medium height, lean, muscled

American

Austin Lewis "Acrobat"

Dark blonde, light green eyes (clear, observing, dangerous), tan

Tall, lean, muscled

American

Tyler Hill "Cadet"

Brown hair, brown eyes (clear, simple), fair, average looking

Medium height, lean, average

American

Michael Church "Angel"

Strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes (clear, accepting, protecting), fair

Tall, lean, average

American

Daniel Lee "Fugitive"

Black hair, dark blue eyes (quiet, self-assured)

Tall, lean, average

Asian

Matthew (Matt)Moore "Bull Dog"

Blonde, moss green eyes (observant, shy)

Medium height, lean, muscled

American

**NAMES (other possible boys)**

Declan

Elliot

Eli

Liam

Jack

Adrian

Damian

**EXCERPTS**

_On the walk from Blackthorne Cammie had gotten to know the boys a little better. Chris was sort of like Zach's second in command. Then there was Justin, the clown; Nick, the fast one; Dmitri, the bad boy; Mario, the short smart-ass. Logan was the scary one; Austin had the temper and Michael was the angel boy. Tyler was the pavement artist; Daniel the quiet, self-assured one; and Matt the observant one. And then there was Grant, the strong one; Jonas the computer geek; and Zach the self-appointed leader. _

— Chapter I, 'Back to Gallagher'

_When Cammie looked up she met the stares of all the boys curiously, her gaze flickering from boy to boy. From Justin's ice blue eyes to Mario's dark eyes; from Nick's caramel ones to Dmitri's strange violet ones; from Chris' hazel gaze to Logan's white-grey stare; from Austin's clear olive-colored eyes to Tyler's clouded brown eyes; from Michaels angelic blue to Daniel's sapphire blue to Matt's moss green eyes; from Grant's twinkling chocolate brown eyes to Jonas' bottomless blue eyes; and finally to Zach's sparkling emerald eyes. _

—Chapter III, 'Back to Gallagher'

_Michael came to our defense. "I'm sure whatever it is they have a good reason for hiding it." Good ol' Michael, always protecting the underdogs._

—Chapter VII, 'The Way to Blackthorne'

"_All right, all right already," Grant interrupted. "Let's get a move on! I'm starving over here," he whined._

_Cammie let out a gasp, trying to catch her breath. _Bless that boy and the bottomless pit he calls a stomach.

—Chapter II, 'Back to Gallagher'

"_Gallagher Girl, tell me what happened. Please."_

_Cammie looked up, surprised. Zach Goode just said please— Zach Goode, who never begged for anything, ever._

—Chapter III, 'Back to Gallagher'

_Zach's eyes lifted to the other boys. Half of them looked like they wanted to help and the other half looked like they wanted to throw their hands up and run. Most of them had never seen a girl cry before, at least not a girl they knew, and this was making a lasting impression. _

—Chapter III, 'Back to Gallagher'

_Now they stood crammed together, closing in on Cammie, but not in a threatening way. They took on more of a protective stance. They could see that Zach was clearly in love with the girl, and Zach was their brother. That made Cammie as close as a sister to them, and no matter how many jokes or jibes they threw her way, no matter how much they disliked her personally, they would protect and care for her in ways they had never done for anyone outside their brotherhood before._

—Chapter III, 'Back to Gallagher'

"_Dude, it isn't like we want to leave—" Zach cut Chris off midsentence._

"_No! You sure as fucking hell shouldn't want to fucking leave!" Zach screamed furiously. "There is something seriously wrong here! Bex and Liz and Macey— they fucking _disappeared_! This isn't some Cove. Ops test where everything is going to be okay! This is the real thing! The thing we've been training for our whole lives! People could die if we don't so something! And you want to _fucking_ leave?" Zach's enraged words turn from a scream of hate to a deadly hiss, seeping into every corner of the room. "The day hell freezes over is the day I thought I would see you all _runaway_!"  
_

—Chapter IV, 'Back to Gallagher'


	11. Chapter 9

_**THIS AUTHORS NOTE IS IMPORTANT!**_

_**BUT WRITTEN A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO POSTING!**_

_So, I just updated a couple of days ago with the Blackthorne Boys Guide I made, but I decided I really wanted to give you guys a real chapter too. _

_The reason I was so into writing is I was messing around on my page and I realized that I can see how many people have read my story, reviewed my story, favorited my story, etc. I was amazed. Enlightened, actually. Honestly, I didn't think that many people read this. I've gotten almost 240 people to read my story in the last 11 days (since the beginning of March). I'm not saying that's an extraordinary amount, but it is a lot more than expected. And nearly 70 people have this story on their alerts list. I'll tell you the truth guys; this made me feel really good._

_But then I realized I could go back and see past months as well. I had A LOT more viewers back in September. I'm not gonna lie, I was really disappointed, I don't know if it's just that school is a distraction or what, but I went from getting close to 1,500 viewers to only 200 people. Granted, It's still the beginning of the month, but really? I have lost A LOT of my viewers. And I think part of that is because people either lost interest because I wasn't updating or just plain gave up waiting for it. I guess that kinda shook me up a little and made me really want to write this for you. Hopefully, I'll get some more readers :/ _

_-Katiebear95 ;)_

_P.S. Thanks to the people who have voted on the poll on my profile, and it's still open for anyone else._

_

* * *

_

**CHAPTER IX**

_Gallagher Girl," Zach's hand came to her face and his warm breath fell over his face. Cammie closed her eyes and breathed deeply. His deep voice sounded firm, but desperate. "Is there any other way out of the mansion?" She took a second to answer._

_"Yes."_

_Twenty minuets later Cammie and the Blackthorne Boys were standing at the entrance to their only way out of Gallagher._

* * *

"Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer! Take one down-pass it around, ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall! Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-eight bottles of beer! Take one down, pass it around, ninety-seven—"

"SHUT UP," Logan bellowed at Mario, interrupting his song. The others might have been angry with Logan had it not been the third time Mario had gone through the song. "Dear merciful God in heaven let it end!" Logan turned his head up to the dark ceiling of the tunnel and shook his fists.

"There's no need to be melodramatic," scolded Michael Church disdainfully. "And don't use the Lord's name in vain. It's offensive."

Logan scowled at the blonde boy. "Why don't you shove your—"

"Okay, everyone shut the hell up right now!" Zach's command silenced the three. "_Thank_ you. A little peace and quiet!"

The only sound in the dark passage was of sneakers slapping the damp rock ground.

They continued walking.

* * *

A cricket chirped.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._ Water droplets.

_Slap! Slap! Slap!_ Shoes.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

A cricket chirped.

"I've got a lo-ve-ly bunch of coconuts—"

"Ah, hell!"

"—There they are all standing in a row! Small ones, big ones, some as big as you're head! Give them a twist, a flick of the wrist! That's what the showman said!"

"Oh, for the love of God," Austin complains.

"What did I tell you? What did I _just_ say to you?" Logan angrily pulls at his hair. The other boys grumble. "I'm going to kill him. I'm going to fucking kill him."

Zach sighs tiredly. "Okay, listen guys," he says. "We're in this tunnel, yeah?" Heads nodded. "We're tired, yeah?" Heads nodded. "We want to go home, yeah?" Heads nodded. "We're all alone, yeah?" Silence. "Well? We're all alone, yeah?"

"Err…" Mario trails off. "No?"

"No! NO!" Zach raises his voice. "That's correct! You're absolutely right! We _aren't _alone." He pauses. "SO SHUT THE FUCK UP," Zach roars, spittle spraying from his mouth.

"What's that song even about?" asked Justin. Zach glared. "Never mind, forget I even said _anything_." Justin's eyes avoided Zach.

They continued walking.

* * *

"Gallagher Girl, how much farther?"

Cammie squinted into the darkness. She couldn't see any light, but they had been walking for a little over two hours. "Not to far I think. Maybe another half hour walking?" The boys groaned.

They continued walking.

* * *

"I think I see something," Matt said.

"Really? Where?" Justin asked excitedly.

"Up ahead. It's getting bigger."

"I see it too," said Daniel from the back. His quiet voice echoed loudly in the passage.

"It's like a light," agreed Tyler.

"Where? I don't see it!" Justin was walking on his tiptoes with his head tilted to the side and his eyes squinting. Five minutes later: "I see it! I see the light," Justin exclaimed.

"Quick! Run towards it," Austin remarked dryly. Justin scowled and Michael frowned.

Logan cracked his knuckles impatiently. "Someone should go ahead. See what it is, how far it is."

Nick walked faster. "I see it too," he said. "I can run up ahead, check it out?" He looked to Zach for confirmation. Zach nodded, and Nick took off in a slow run towards the light.

They continued walking.

* * *

Nick was back five minutes later. "It's defiantly the way out," he said. "I'd say only a ten minute walk from here. Thing is, I think there's something covering it. Rocks, maybe."

Grant squinted at the light. "Rocks?"

"Mm."

"Those weren't there before," said Cammie, frowning slightly. Zach squeezed her hand.

"We'll have to dig out way out," he said. "Don't worry," he said seeing Cammie's skeptical expression. "We're strong." He flexed and winked at her. Cammie rolled her eyes and pulled ahead in the group.

They continued walking.

* * *

Zach grunted as he shoved another rock into Chris's hands behind him. The boys and Cammie had formed an assembly line of sorts to push the large boulders out of the exit. Zach grunted again as he picked up particularly heavy rock. He scowled at Grant, who laughed at Zach's pained expression.

"Where're those muscles you were telling us about, eh Zachy-boy?" Grant goaded.

Zach growled. Sarcastically: "You look like you're getting a workout." Someone in the back snorted.

Grant had point blank refused to help move the rocks because that would mean putting Bex down or letting on of the others hold her. And _no one_, according to Grant, was allowed to touch her but him. Grant, who could lift three of the boys at once, was sitting out. Jonas and Dmitri also stood by him, carrying Liz and Macey.

"Keep digging, boys," encouraged Grant.

"We're nearly there," called Zach.

* * *

Ten minutes of heavy labor later fourteen Blackthorne Boys and one Gallagher Girl crawled out of the secret tunnel and into the bushes by the side of the road, three quarters of the way to Roseville.

They stood unsteadily at first on the smooth pavement, before smiling at each other. They slapped each other's backs.

"Well done, man," Grant said to Zach. "You too Cam." He winked at her and walked towards the other boys with Bex in his arms, leaving Zach and Cammie.

Cammie turned to Zach, who pulled her to him. His arms wound tightly around her waist and he buried his face in her neck. She shivered when she felt his hot breath slide over the sensitive skin by her ear. "Well done Gallagher Girl," he whispered huskily. Cammie's breath came in shorter gasps when she felt his wet tongue slid down her ear. Zach gently toke her lobe in his mouth and nipped it. She arched against his boy and mewed quietly.

"Z-Zach?"

"Mm?" Zach continued down her throat to her collarbone. He licked up and down slowly with the tip of his tongue. Then he drew his mouth up farther, the entire time his tongue never left her skin. When he came to her mouth he blew on the wet trail he left, making her shiver in delight. "Gallagher Girl," he moaned. "Cammie…" His hands wandered up the back of her shirt, stroking her skin. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the pleasure he was giving her.

She felt his head tilt before his hot mouth came down over hers, lips meeting lips. He pulled her in closer and pressed his mouth against her hard enough to bruise. With his tongue he stroked her lips until he coaxed her mouth open. Their tongues met sweetly, his dominating her timid one. Zach's left hand left her shirt to grip the back of her head and he leaned down farther. He lifted her legs up and wrapped them firmly around his waist before backing her into a tree. His left arm went from her head to the tree and they rubbed against each other wonderfully. They moaned.

"Hem-hem." Some cleared their throat, but the two still went at it. They wet sounds of passionate lip-lock filled the night air, as the boys had all eased conversation. "HEM-HEM!"

They two broke apart, but rather then turning to see who interrupted them, Zach held Cammie firmly in place. He brought his mouth back to the underside of her jaw and placed wet, open-mouthed kissed generously on her skin. Cammie's head tipped back, her body arched and her eyes screwed shut. She moaned. Over her shoulder, Zach glared at the uncomfortable looking boys without stopping his ministrations. _Get lost_, his eyes said, before he closed them in ecstasy and marked his girlfriend's neck repeatedly. He lavishly coated her skin with his tongue and lips, leaving it wet and slightly pink.

"Oh for the love of God," exclaimed Austin, scowling. "Procreate in the middle of nowhere later! We have places to be!"

Zach's eyes shot open, but he deliberately made a show of slowly stopping his exploration of Cammie's body. His eyes never left the other boys in a silent challenge to try and hurry him up. He was enjoying his girlfriend right now. They could wait. As slowly as possible he retracted his arms from Cammie's shirt and unwrapped her legs. She dropped to the ground a unsteadily, but he grabbed her arm to keep her up. She sighed, not seeming to have returned to herself yet.

"Right," Zach said when they were both themselves. (Cammie was blushing furiously and Zach was smirking at her devilishly. He couldn't help but notice how absolutely delectable she looked with her lips bruised and puffy, a flush creeping up her neck. He licked his lips. _Yummy, her thought._) "We just follow the road to Roseville. Once we get to town we can get help or something. Find the hospital." The other boys nodded and started walking. They couldn't look Cammie or Zach in the eye after witnessing…_that_. The two walked behind a ways with their hands firmly clasped together.

They didn't see the dark figures come up behind them.

* * *

_Bum bum bum! Cliffhanger again! Sorry about those, it's a bad habit I have. I know I've said it before, but I'll try to update soon. Really though, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, so maybe I'll get the next one up soon. Fight scene next chapter, and drama. Josh comes into this a bit after that. _

_Thanks to everyone who voted on the poll on my profile. It helped me get a better idea of what Zammie I should be putting in this. _

_Katiebear95 ;)_


	12. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER X**

_They didn't see the dark figures come up behind them.

* * *

_

Jonas wasn't a fighter. He was a computer nerd. A geek. Weak. He was trained, but he wasn't good.

When they attacked the group it seemed like the world exploded. All of a sudden there were fists flying and kicks cracking and shouts of pain and it seemed like it would never end. So Jonas did what he knew how to do: hide. He held Liz tightly and hid in a bush. Beside him he knew Grant and Dmitri left Bex and Macey. Then they run off to join the fight.

It was now more than ever before that he hated himself. He hated that he couldn't fight. That _he_ was the one people needed to protect. _He_ was the child. All of his brothers were fighters. They could help and defend people. But _he_ was always the one left behind.

He watched as more people in black came. There were four, five, six…ten! He watched as they beat down his brothers. He saw Michael's head slammed into the pavement, He saw Logan stabbed with something that glinted in the dim moonlight, and he saw Tyler beaten into submission. He couldn't tell if Mario was still breathing where he lay in the grass in a pool of blood. Matt went down, Daniel went down, Chris went down.

He watched as Zach and Cammie fought side by side as if they had done it their entire lives. Like that's where they were meant to be. Zach lifted Cam by the arms and swung her around so her feet met with his attacker's face. Cammie punched, Zach kicked, they flipped sides. Their lunges and parries were synchronized so they always had each other's back.

And then he saw Cammie slammed down by a large man. Zach saw. He got distracted. And then he got shot. And they lay together still as if in death.

It was then that Jonas ran out from the bushes and joined the dimming fray, a silent scream on his lips.

* * *

_I really wanted to try doing something from Jonas's point of view because I haven't really written much about him into this story yet. I've been trying to get all the boys in but it's hard because of a few reasons. 1. I'm a girl. I don't really know what they would do or say, so I have to guess. 2. There are fourteen of them, plus Cammie. 3. I have this planned already so I'm trying not to get off track. And 4. There's so much other stuff going on that I'm trying to get down on paper that half the time I forget about the boys. So I try, but I'm not flawless. _

_Next chapter: Zammie after fight. They after that comes Roseville townies. Plus Josh ;) oh, and don't worry. This is defiantly a Zammie fic._

_**REVIEW**__ (I was actually thinking, if everyone on the subscription list reviewed this for either this chapter OR the last one this story would have almost 200 reviews. WOW.)_


	13. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER XI**

_And then he saw Cammie slammed down by a large man. Zach saw. He got distracted. And then he got shot. And they lay together still as if in death._

* * *

Cammie hurt. She hurt like _hell_.

With her eyes shut, she desperately reached out for Zach. Her mind screamed for him. She needed to know if he was all right. She heard the shots and her heart stopped. Suddenly she felt like the entire weight of the universe was pressing down on her chest.

_Zach!_ Her mind screamed. She couldn't speak. _ZACH! ZACH! Please, oh god, please! ZACH!_ Her blindly groping hand finally found something soft, like flesh. It was another hand. She grabbed it and held on, tugging it. It had to be him. It _had_ to be him. She opened and closed her mouth trying to get some sound out, but she couldn't. All she could do was lie in pain and squeeze the hand.

And then she felt the hand squeeze back and it was like air filled her lungs again. "Cam?" She heard him. His once sounded hoarse and weak but she early cried in relief. She tugged on his hand again. She felt a warm set of lips press against her palm weakly. "Gallagher Girl, you're okay. You're okay." She could hear his labored breathing and all she wanted to do was be able to tell him she was fine. He sucked in a ragged breath. "Oh god, Cam it hurts," she heard him whisper.

She tried to squeeze again, but she couldn't. She frowned.

"Cammie. Hold on Cam. Hold on Cammie…"

She tried to tug on his hand, to let him know she was listening and to hold on to him, but she still couldn't. Everything was dimming and she couldn't concentrate. She was slipping away and it was all going black…

And then there was nothing but a dull ringing in her ears as her head met with the pavement again.

_

* * *

Whew! I am on a roll! Third chapter today! I know it's short, but they'll be longer after this one._


	14. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER XII**

* * *

Josh Abrams was sitting in the corner booth by the window when the sirens started. The busy diner fell quiet as people stopped to listen. Josh's friends stopped talking and they all looked out into the street.

Distantly_: "CODE BLACK! CODE BLACK! CODE BLACK!"_

Frowning at the high-pitched wail, Josh cupped his hands against the cool glass of the window. He pressed his face to the glass and squinted out at the street.

"What is that?" DeeDee whispered.

Josh's eyes settled on the looming form of Gallagher Academy. He watched as the windows slammed shut fast and the lights flashed. "It's Gallagher," he said bemusedly. He felt his friends press up to the window beside him.

"Gallagher?" Dillon snorted. "Can't keep their own damn business to themselves can they," he said harshly. Josh's furrowed brow was the only sign he had heard his sneering friend.

"It's an alarm, I guess. Something must be wrong." Josh sounded slightly worried, which bothered Dillon. He scowled.

"Who cares," he questioned spitefully.

"Dillon…" Aggravated, Josh exhaled.

"What? Their problems are their own. They have nothing to do with _us_, and we have nothing to do with _them_." Dillon's words stabbed Josh with meaning.

Josh's blue eyes hardened. Okay, so maybe he wasn't completely over Cammie. But that was his business, not Dillon's. He was in the process of moving on. Sure, it might be taking him a little longer than normal…but he was getting there. Right?

Just then Josh felt a light pressure on his hand. He looked down at his lap and saw a pink-gloved hand encasing his own. His eyes swung up to meet DeeDee's comforting gaze. Smiling slightly, he squeezed his girlfriend's hand in return.

He turned his attention to the flashing reflected in the window again. The diner sat in silence as everyone watched the intimidating mansion go into lock down.

Suddenly, as fast as they had come, the sirens stopped and the lights shut off again. Josh couldn't help but think the mansion seemed like a frightening presence in the now quiet darkness.

"Whatever it is," DeeDee said, "its done now." Quickly the small diner came back to life like nothing had happened at all.

* * *

A bell chimed as the rather large group squeezed onto the sidewalk, laughing and waving goodbyes.

Josh, DeeDee and Dillon walked down the deserted sidewalk, their shoulders pressed together in between two of Roseville High's linebackers, Wyatt and Ford. In front of them, Dallas walked with Lauren's hand clasped firmly in his. They watched amusedly as the two steadily got closer.

"Oi! Get a room," Will called from the back, ruining the mood. He laughed at the now-embracing couple and Ben wolf-whistled. From across the street, a group of young girls giggled and glanced at the large group of boys. Oh, and the two girlfriends.

"Dallas and Lauren sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S— Ow!" Jack's hand flew to his throbbing head where Ford had hit him with an old tennis ball. "The hell, man?" Wyatt and Dillon snickered. Jack jumped at Ford, knocking him off the curb playfully.

While his friends horsed around, Josh's eyes drifted to the foreboding girls school again.

Dillon's noticed and followed his eyes. "What do you think happened up there?" His tone wasn't spiteful anymore, and for that Josh was grateful.

"I don't know Dillon…anything could really. But it isn't our business." Josh looked down at the sidewalk at his worn sneakers.

"Well," Dillon started.

"If you really, _really_ wanted to know…" Ford trailed off, raising his eyebrows at the suddenly attentive boy at his side.

"We could always go…" Wyatt's voice lowered till he was whispering conspiratorially and Josh waited in anticipation. "… Moon them!"

"_What?_" The boys burst out laughing at the expression on Josh's face. DeeDee giggled.

"What they mean," she explained, "is that we could go up to Gallagher and just take a peek—to see if anything's wrong." She peaked at Josh's thoughtful expression.

Dillon continued: "If anyone asks we could just tell them we were going to moon those stuck up bit—"

"O-kay!" Wyatt cut Dillon off. "I think he gets it." They briefly scowled at each other before grinning wolfishly at Josh again.

"Hey, if we're lucky maybe they'll come out and say hi," Dallas laughed. The other boys whistled and laughed rowdily. Lauren hit her boyfriend's arm. "Hey! Hands off the merchandise, woman!" She couldn't help laugh at Dallas' innocently wide-eyed expression and watched as he clutched his arm dramatically.

"Well, we're in, if anyone's asking." Jack put his hand on Dillon's shoulder when the three boys crowded the others to get into the group discussion.

"Oi! Didn't you hear! Hands off the merchandise!" Will knocked Jack's hand off of Dillon's arm. The former glared hostilely at the latter, which looked bewildered.

"Wait…" Jack's eyes widened comically and he took a step back from his best friends. "Are you—I mean— you aren't… Oh God! You are!" Jack looked scandalized then hurt as he looked between the other two boys. Dillon looked extremely lost and Will looked completely serious.

"That's right," Will suddenly shouted out. Jack jumped in surprise. The former turned his head up to the sky and spread his arms out. He screamed for the whole town to hear: "I'm _GAY_! Hear that world? I'm gay— a QUEER! _I ship the other team_! I, William A. Hunnam III, am GAYYYYYYYY!" He spun around and giggled girlishly.

Jack stared in horror at what was once his best friend. He wondered how and when this had happened.

If he hadn't been so engrossed in the performance he wouldn't have seen the sly wink Will sent him. He instantly caught on and his eyes lightened with understanding.

Suddenly, Jack's hand clutched comically at his heart and he choked on air. "How—Why—NOOOOO!" Jack fell to his knees. His hands fisted his hair and he screamed like the drunken guy with the fire in that Rihanna video. The group laughed raucously at the performance.

When they had calmed down, Jack threw an arm around Will. "Really though, don't scare me like that," he said. "You had me convinced."

"Oi!" Ford suddenly looked offended. He pouted. "What's wrong with being gay?" He grabbed Wyatt's hand and leaned over to kiss his boyfriend's lips.

They laughed.

* * *

Okay, how was that? I was a little worried about switching to Josh's POV because I've never written about him before, but I kinda like the way it came out. I didn't want him to sound TOO not over Cammie. Anyways, I know this might seem like a random chapter, but it will make sense after the next one. Originally all of the Josh stuff was going to be one LONG chapter, but I really wanted to update and this was all I had done. Now there will be two Josh chapters (one more after this one). Trust me, there is a purpose to having Josh in this story, although I'm not a Jammie shipper.

-sometimesidance

(Yes, i did change my penname. Like it?)


	15. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER XIII**

* * *

"_Well," Dillon started._

"_If you really, really wanted to know…" Ford trailed off, raising his eyebrows at the suddenly attentive boy at his side. _

"_We could always go…" Wyatt's voice lowered till he was whispering conspiratorially and Josh waited in anticipation. "… Moon them!" _

"_What they mean," she explained, "is that we could go up to Gallagher and just take a peek—to see if anything's wrong." _

* * *

The looming wrought-iron gate made the mansion look cold, and a threatening silence blanketed the school.

Josh grimaced and lightened his steps on the pavement, as the group got closer. He thought back to last year when a group of boys snuck up to the school in the middle of the night so they could moon Gallagher. They were halfway done pulling down their pants when one of the boys accidentally set of an alarm. They were chased away by armed guards and dogs, coming home scared shitless with tales to tell their grandchildren about the terrible Gallagher Academy, where snotty rich girls were protected by vicious Dobermans and ruthless ninja-guards.

They stopped close enough that Josh could have stretched his arm out and swung the gate open, he could make out in the darkness that the gate was in fact open, if only slightly. He frowned, confused.

DeeDee's eyes widened. "It's _open_?" she exclaimed. She looked at him, confused. "Why would it be open? That makes no sense."

"Do you think we could walk right in?" Dillon asked, looking skeptical.

"Only one way to find out." Jack lunged forward before anyone thought to stop him and barreled right through the opening. He froze on the other side, like he was waiting for secret laser guns to pop out of nowhere and shoot him down. After a minute he sighed slightly and grinned in relief. "All clear."

Wyatt bumped his shoulder against him when he walked by. "Idiot," he muttered.

The group walked down the driveway, surrounded on all sides by lush gardens. The girls giggled and admired the beautiful flowers in the dark. After about five hundred feet they came to another gate, only this one had a small guardhouse next to it, rather than cameras and an automated gate system. In front of the smaller gate was a shiny, black corvette.

"Dude! Check out those wheels!" exclaimed Jack.

"Nice!"

"Oho! To be rich!" crowed Dillon, swaying on his heels. He shook his head disbelievingly and laughed. "Never thought I'd ever get to see one of these babies up close!"

They came up to the car with a sort of reverence in their eyes. They knocked on the windows to see if there was anyone inside, but they got no answer. Josh though it was strange someone would leave a beautiful corvette sitting outside of the luxurious school in the middle of the night, when there were no guards around. It was asking for it to be stolen. After all, locals who wanted to get a closer look at the place while no one was around frequented the school during the summer. Given, many hadn't made it this far in, but this time the gate was left open and ripe for the taking.

"Where do you think security is?"

"There should be someone in the guardhouse. Maybe he's asleep?" DeeDee guessed.

"We should check," said Josh. "But then think we need to get out of here, guys. Forget Cammie tonight. I don't like this." His friends readily agreed they would leave after checking for guards. After all that had happened tonight (the alarm, the gate being open, the car, no guards) they were a little spooked by the abandoned mansion.

The small guardhouse was on the other side of the car, as they had walked up from behind it and to the right. The guardhouse was on the left. Josh felt a sense of foreboding as they quietly walked around the car to the other side, the gravel crunching under their shoes.

They came around the car and stopped together at the sight of a man in a dark uniform lying on the ground in a puddle of blood.

"G-g-guys!" Dillon stammered in shock, his eyes wide.

"Is that…"

"Oh my god! Oh my_ god_!" cried Lauren. Dallas immediately scooped her into her arms, and she buried her face in his chest. She cried noisily while he tried to soothe her. Josh turned to DeeDee, whose hand covered her mouth and eyes leaked tears. She stared straight at the body, her gaze unwavering.

"DeeDee," Josh said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him and threw herself into his arms, covering her eyes. Wyatt and Ford clenched their fists, exchanging glances. Jack looked extremely pale, and Will seemed to be trying to avoid looking at the dead guard.

"Well, now we know why there aren't any guards around," said an extremely pale Dillon.

"What happened here?" whispered Lauren in horror.

"Guys…guys, we need to go. We have to get back to Roseville…call 911…" Josh gulped. "Let's get out of here." Hastily, the group made it's way back through the gates and back to town.

But about three miles down the road they stopped again. There, in pools of their own blood, were the Gallagher Girls and Blackthorne Boys.

DeeDee screamed.

* * *

All Josh could hear was ringing in his ears. _Cammie is dead. She is dead,_ was all he could think. Her body was lying in front of him. Shakily he reached out and rolled her over. By the moonlight, he could see the cut in her head where she had obviously hit it on the pavement. Splayed out next to her, their hands locked, was that guy she had been with at the carnival._ Zane? Zavier? Zeke? Zach?_ That was it—Zach. He could see a gunshot wound on his chest, and he was breathing shallowly.

"Oh god…oh god! Quick someone get help! Someone get help!" He shouted frantically to his friends behind him, frantically searching for something to stem the bleeding from the boys chest. "I need help! Quick! Put pressure on the hole!" DeeDee unsteadily tore her shirt and did as Josh said. Josh moved his attention to Cammie as he did all he could to help her. He wished he had some ice and some gauze. Behind him, he could hear his friends going around to the others, giving first aid where they could. Will had run back to town for help; he was the fastest runner, having run on the track team since the sixth grade.

Josh held Cammie in his arms until they heard the sirens of ambulances wail up the street. Reluctantly, he let the paramedics pry her from his arms and load her onto a stretcher. He watched fearfully as the drove away.

* * *

_A.N. Okay, what did you think? Review, review, review please._

_Btw,__** I'm now doing REVIEW RESPONSES!**_

_Also, __**I'm thinking of taking requests**__ for stories now (at least oneshots) because I'm really getting more into writing than reading nowadays. If you have anything you want me to do or an idea or whatever, pm me or review or do whatever to let me know. I'll write it (if I can't I'll let you know) and give you credit in the disclaimer. At this point, idk if I'd do a multi-chapter story on request, but if I really like the idea I will defiantly consider it._

_**Something you should know:**__ THIS IS THE END OF JOSH! I will not be writing from his POV anymore. No Josh, Dillon, DeeDee, Wyatt, Jack, Ford or Will. No Lauren or Dallas either. They are done. _

_**What did you think of my original characters?**_

_**Coming up next: **_Cammie wakes up in the hospital. Her mom and Doctor Steve are there. What do they have to say? What do they know about the intruders? After, that, it's back to BLACKTHORNE! Yay!

Also. I'm thinking of doing an exchange story where Gallagher goes to Blackthorne, like it is in the book (OTGSY). What do you think? Would you read it?


	16. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER XIV**

* * *

_Josh held Cammie in his arms until they heard the sirens of ambulances wail up the street. Reluctantly, he let the paramedics pry her from his arms and load her onto a stretcher. He watched fearfully as the drove away._

* * *

Cammie woke up to the sound of beeping. The heart monitor next to her bed steadily rose and fell with each beat of her heart. She blinked at the white ceiling and slowly looked around the large, cold room. Everything was white: the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the beds—even Cammie's hospital gown. She was lying on one of a long row of hospital beds. On either side of her beds with Gallagher Girls and Blackthorne Boys ran the long length of the room. To her right, she saw Jonas sleeping. He looked peaceful. She turned to her right and her breath caught.

Zach was bruised and pale, cuts all over his face. She could see slightly bloodstained bandages under his gown, wrapped around his strong torso. And IV ran into his arm. "Zach?" she whispered, but it came out jagged from not having spoken for a long time. She cleared her throat and tried again, but it was no use. He was sleeping soundly.

Her attention went to the door when she hear the soft whoosh of it being opened, and was met with the worried face of her mother. "Hey there, Kiddo," she whispered, and swooped down on her daughter.

Rachel held Cammie's hand tightly and she kissed her forehead. They talked quietly so as not to wake the others.

"Cameron Ann, I need you to tell me exactly what happened at the mansion tonight." Rachel's firm tone and her unwavering gaze left no room for argument. So Cammie told her everything that had happened since she had found the secret room, and the journal. She told her about the passage (though she suspected her mother already knew); she told her about hiding in Zach's dorm room with his friends; about sneaking the sophomore's into Gallagher; about seeing her friends, but then discovering them missing; she told her about the screams that would forever haunt her and the Code Black; and she told her about the tunnel out of the school and the fight on the streets.

The only thing she didn't mention was the emotion she had heard in Josh's voice when he and his friends had found them, not even an hour after the fight. She didn't tell her the terrified expression she had seen on his face when she was wheeled into the ambulance on a stretcher and had first opened her eyes. She didn't tell her mother because she knew now how Josh Abrams felt. No matter how much he hated her for humiliating him and lying, he still loved her. And she thought maybe he could move on if he tried, maybe he could find someone else he could love, but she knew he'd always remember her.

And after tonight, he would probably remember the truth about Gallagher Academy. The truth he wasn't supposed to know. But the truth Cammie knew now was that she wanted him to know. She wanted someone to know the truth, because in a world of spies and lies no one _really _knows the truth. It's a novel idea untouchable by anyone of them. So Cammie wanted someone, someone who wasn't one of them, to know. She wanted him to _remember_.

So she didn't tell her mother, in fear her mother would pay Josh a visit with a warm cup of tea.

* * *

Later, Cammie heard Dr. Steve come in and talk to the boys quietly. She pretended to be sleeping, because it wasn't her place to be part of their conversation. But she thought they knew she was faking it anyway. After all, they were spies.

* * *

Later that week, the CIA debriefed Cammie. They asked her to write it out, which she did, and they gave her a polygraph.

The man who questioned her reminded her of herself: plain, average—a pavement artist. She knew that when she left this building she wouldn't be able to remember what this man looked like. Not his hair color, eye color, not even his voice. She was impressed.

She looked into the mirror (probably two-way) handing alone on one wall, and imagined her friends were somewhere else in the building, being debriefed by other faceless men.

* * *

When she got out, her mother and her rode away in silence. The driver of the shiny limo discreetly closed the blackened mirror between the front and back.

"Mom?" Cammie looked at her mother. "Who did this?"

She paused before saying: "We don't know, kiddo. But we'll find out."

It was silent for a long time before Cammie spoke again. "Where are we going?" They couldn't go back to Gallagher, although they CIA had already secured the building.

"We're going to Blackthorne. You'll be staying there for the rest of the week, with Zach and the girls. The other Blackthorne Boys have already left for summer break."

Cammie remained expressionless, and she was secretly glad for her mother's professional mask. "And after?"

"You'll be spending the summer in Nebraska with your grandparents."

"And Bex, Liz and Macey?"

"They're going back to their parents, of course." Cammie nodded stiffly.

"And…Zach?"

Rachel sighed. "You know I can't tell you that, kiddo."

Cammie looked out the window for the rest of the ride.

* * *

**A/N: **Alrighty! This story is almost at its end, which is really sad for me, since I've been working on it since this summer (as well as the prequel) and it's the end of my first series. The first story I've really worked on too.

**The next chapter is the last one!** I felt I needed to warn you. I'll probably finish the story this weekend! Ah! Scary thought.

**Coming up NEXT:** Cammie arrives at Blackthorne and goodbyes are said.


	17. Chapter 15 FINAL CHAPTER

**CHAPTER XV**

* * *

_"You'll be spending the summer in Nebraska with your grandparents."_

_"And Bex, Liz and Macey?"_

_"They're going back to their parents, of course." Cammie nodded stiffly._

_"And…Zach?"_

_Rachel sighed. "You know I can't tell you that, kiddo."_

_Cammie looked out the window for the rest of the ride._

* * *

A week later Cammie stood with her sisters on the stone drive in front of Blackthorne's huge, wood door.

She watched Bubblegum, Guard (their designated driver) toss her red duffle bag into the open trunk of the limo, next to Macey's Louis Vuitton trunk. "That's it," he said with a smack of his bright pink gum. "Everybody in!"

Bex and Liz chatted happily while they climbed in. Macey followed with her nail file in hand. She sent a look towards the other girls. "This is going to be a long ride," she said in her Macey-way.

"You coming Cam?" Bubblegum Guard's head stuck out his window and looked towards her. She looked back at the boy's school.

"Just give me a sec," she said, backing up. "There's someone I need to say goodbye to." She turned and jogged back inside.

"Back so soon, Gallagher Girl?" He leaned smirking against a stone pillar in the entrance hall. Behind her light flooded the room through the open door, dust particles visible.

"Zach…" She stared at him from where she stood. Understandingly, he sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. She cleared her throat. "Where will you go?"

"Oh, you know," he shrugged playfully. "Here and there." She snorted and when grinned slyly. "What're you gonna do, Gallagher Girl? Follow me?" His smile slowly faded as she approached him. She raised a hand and traced this line of his nose and across his cheek. He leaned his face slightly into his hand.

"Zach…" she whispered. "I'll miss you." He didn't reply, only leaned in until their lips met gently. They moved together like waves move peacefully on the sand. They broke apart with soft sighs. Zach trailed his lips, only slightly touching, up her cheek to press a kiss to her temple, then her forehead, they the tip of her nose, then back to her lips again. Then he stepped back with a sad expression on his beautiful face.

"Cammie..." She backed away slowly.

She stepped towards the open door and the warm spring sun that was just waiting to burst into summer, a new season. Another clean slate.

"So this is goodbye?" Cammie put on a brave face. Then he smirked.

"Come one Gallagher Girl." He winked. "What are the odds of that?"

Cammie walked outside and got in the limo, and as far as Zach could tell, she never looked back—because neither did he.

Neither of them thought of the rules they'd broken or the time they'd wasted. They didn't dwell on the questions that had seemed so important once and were now fading like a long-lost note in a heavy rain.

There are secrets in their world. They stack side-by-side like dominoes, and last September they'd started to fall—all because Cammie had said hello to a boy. Now she was saying goodbye to another one, for the second time. But now, at least in Zach's case, she finally had the closure she hadn't had last time.

And it set her free.

The whole summer lay ahead of them—time to rest, time to wait. And when the future came—no matter what came with it—they'd be smarter. They'd be stronger. They'd be ready.

And when night fell and her sisters slept, Cammie looked out her window at the stars. "Goodbye Zach," she whispered. And this time knew he wasn't walking out of her life, she was walking out of his. She didn't know when, or even if, she would ever see Zachary Goode again, but right now it didn't matter, because she knew it wasn't the end. For a spy, it's never the end.

THE END.

* * *

Yes, so that's the end people.

Thank you to EVERYONE who ever read, reviewed, subscribed to or favorited my story. And a special thanks to anyone who followed it the whole way, even since 'The Way to Blackthorne.' It has meant the entire world to me!

Today, 5/28/11, marks the end of the first serious story I ever wrote (and series), which I started in August of 2010.

So I guess this is goodbye for now. Until next time ;)

_Au Revoir,_

kGIRLsongbird (started out as katiebear95)

**Final Disclaimer: **I own NOTHING but the plot and my original characters. In this particular chapter I DID use the ending from 'Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy.' In fact, it's almost word-for-word (for any curious readers). I had reasons for using it and I only tweaked it a little to fit my story.


	18. Epilogue Two Years Later

_TWO__ YEARS__ LATER_—

Cammie roundhouse kicked the masked man in front of her. He went crashing to the floor. She bolted forwards and pushed through the door, jumping the unconscious lump.

Ahead of her to the right was a set of concrete stairs.

She spoke into her comm unit. "Bookworm, directions, please?"

"Take the stairs Ca—er, Chameleon. They should go right up to the roof."

"Roger." Cammie bolted up the stairs as fast as she could, ignoring the sounds and cries of the fight she had left behind her.

She jumped the steps, two, three, four—then burst through the door and stumbled out onto the dark roof.

The crisp night air was quiet up there, nothing but the stars and her.

Slowly she turned in a circle, scanning.

Nothing.

Cammie frowned. Where was—"AH!"

Cammie jumped immediately, lunging out of the way as a body flung itself in her direction with a battle cry. She rolled on the ground, rocks and gravel digging into her skin. She jumped up and crouched down in fighting position, just in time as her attacker jumped up as well.

The two circled each other slowly. Her attacker was obviously a man by his build, dressed entirely in black, complete with black ski mask in place, covering his features. He wore large black boots.

As they circled each other, Cammie was scanning the roof again for any more signs of movements. She didn't want to be surprised again.

"Bookworm," she whispered as low as she could, but she still feared the man would hear her talking because it was so utterly silent up on the roof.

"Bookworm, come in."

Static. She frowned.

"Bookworm, I need to know if there's anyone else up here with me and this douche…Duchess, can you see from the copter?"

Nothing.

"Hello?"

Just then the man surged forward, his arms opening to tackle her. Cammie just barely managed to throw herself under him, his body flying over hers.

Before he could react, she had jumped back up and jumped onto his back from behind. She pressed her entire weight on the back of his knees, her arms coming around to hold his arms down.

The man struggled, and Cammie knew she couldn't hold him for more than a few more seconds; he was obviously very built, and no doubt had a good 80 pounds on her, if not more.

She tried to reach into her pocket for a Nicotine patch, but the man used the moment to wisely take advantage of her. He rolled over, squashing her underneath him.

The breath left Cammie. He was one freaking heavy dude!

"Okay, enough of this," she wheezed. With all the strength she could muster, she managed to get her hand out from under the guy.

She smiled. He was so going down.

From inside her sleeve, a pocket knife slipped out, one her attacker didn't see.

Cammie reached around and, not hesitating for a moment, drove the knife down and sunk it into his nu—

"ARGHHHHHHH!"

The man screamed in pure pain. He crumbled, his hands going to his privates, which he yanked the knife out of with another howl.

Cammie almost felt bad for him. Almost.

She stood triumphantly over her injured partner, smirking.

When he had quieted a little (which took a really long time) she tsked. "Really," she said. "That was just pathetic. You'd think you'd have gotten better, after all our training. You should have totally expected that."

The man yanked the ski mask off his face. Tears gathered in the corners of his emerald eyes. "Shut it…I should kill you for that," he gasped.

"Oh please. There'll be no permanent damage. You'll be fine."

"I'll be fine? _I__'__ll__be__fine?_" He shrieked, his voice going up an octave. "You just shoved a knife into my _balls_! Who the hell does that."' He shakily tried to stand, his hands still over his nuts.

"I thought you were _Goode_ enough to do that."

He grimaced. "Enough with the annoying pun," he wheezed. "Only I'm allowed to do the annoying pun, and not in times of great pain."

"You were wearing the padding for a reason, Zach."

"That doesn't mean it didn't hurt."

"Eh, you'll bruise at worst. You had it better of than Dmitri. I think I may have given him a concussion when I kicked him downstairs…"

"These cove. Ops. Simulations are getting really old," Zach commented drily. He was finally able to stand without putting pressure on where the sun don't shine. But he'd definitely need some ice for the helicopter ride him. "Jesus, Gallagher Girl, could you have drove that thing in any harder?"

"Of course. But I was afraid the padding would be able to take it. And I definitely didn't want to impair your…thing forever."

Zach rolled his eyes, but leaned over and pecked her lips real quick.

"We better get back to the van now," he said. "Dr. Steve will kill me if I make all of us late getting back to Blackthorne in time for lights out again."

"You guys are staying for dinner, right?"

"Yeah, for sure. I'd never pass up a delicious Gallagher Girls meal."

"Of course you wouldn't," Cammie rolled her eyes.

"Come on Gallagher Girl," he said. "Let's go home."

* * *

A/N

Okay, I know it's been a long time, and I had officially finished the story, but I was rereading the entire thing since I finished it and I just got really depressed, because I honestly loved writing the story. I missed it, and the ending made me cry because it was so open ended. I just felt like I _had_ to give the story one more goodbye. This time with a more complete ending.

Basically this "epilogue" takes place 2 years after the ordeal. Gallagher and Blackthorne have combined on a lot more things, including these cove. ops. exercises and training, like you just read. So Cammie and Zach see each other a lot.

Hope you guys enjoyed that, just for old times sake.

Love you all,

Katie : )

P.S. It's good to be back ; )


End file.
